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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29678772">Stage Three - Commentary</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoveChilde/pseuds/LoveChilde'>LoveChilde</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Ancient Greek Religion &amp; Lore, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Collection: Purimgifts Day 3, Community: purimgifts, FIGHT!, Gen, Harried Underlings, Minions, Minor Violence, Sports commentary</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 00:48:41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>865</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29678772</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoveChilde/pseuds/LoveChilde</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The participants are in the Arena. The Games begin. Nemesis and Ananke narrate.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aphrodite/Ares (Ancient Greek Religion &amp; Lore), Aphrodite/Hephaestus (Ancient Greek Religion &amp; Lore)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Purimgifts 2021</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Stage Three - Commentary</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wildcard/gifts">Wildcard</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Gentle audience, I am your commentator, Nemesis Goddess of Retribution, and with me is my...relative, Ananke, Goddess of Inevitability. We are here, some may say, to symbolize the inevitability of the retribution which the gods shall carry out with regards to Ares after the Games end-”</p><p>“Watch it, Nem. The boss is watching and listening - as are all of these very fine people, both at home and here in the arena. Viewers, please set your eyes on the meadow, where our participants are even now beginning to take their opening positions. Ah- oh, I see that Hera is <i>not</i> taking up her position, but is getting an early start on things by attacking Zeus - well, who could blame her? Let’s see where this goes.”</p><p>In the meadow, divinities scattered. Artemis chased Apollo out, Hera and Zeus disappeared in a cloudburst of thunder and lightning that shorted out the viewing cameras briefly, and the others all disappeared into the bushes and trees around the meadow. Poseidon, of course, took to the waters, followed rather more slowly by Hades. Soon, the meadow stood empty.</p><p> %%%</p><p>“Welcome, audience, to the second morning of the Games! Ananke here with your morning brief! Yesterday, the Games got off to a solid start, and we have already lost Hephaestus, Dionysus, and oddly enough, Apollo.”</p><p>“Nothing odd about it, he was overconfident, and Artemis caught him at night. She is stronger beneath the moon and he should have noticed that.”</p><p>“He should have, and no doubt about that! Hephaestus, to the surprise of absolutely nobody, dropped at Aphrodite’s feet and surrendered as soon as she winked at him - I hope nobody bet too highly on him, because really, how could this have ended any differently? Amirite, Nem?”</p><p>“That you are, distant cousin. Dionysus - well, he was possibly a little bit <i>too</i> well supplied by our viewers at home, as he managed to walk right off the edge of a cliff, he was that drunk. What an inglorious exit.”</p><p>“I don’t know, he certainly went out with a splash...”</p><p>%%%</p><p>“Loyal viewers, it is the second evening of the Games, and the field of play has narrowed considerably today.”</p><p>“Yes indeed Nemesis, we are down to only half of the participants who started yesterday. Such drama!”</p><p>“I do so wish we had seen exactly what happened between Zeus and Hera, but sadly, we’ll never know the specifics. Zeus fried everything around them, technological and magical, and the next thing we know, they were both out of the Games.”</p><p>“True, but of course we all know Hera will claim that she beat Zeus, and we will all have to go along with that story-”</p><p>“And we are! We are.” </p><p>“Also in other news, while we’re still safe from divine fury, Poseidon drowned Demeter, neatly taking her out, and- oh, a live report! Very nice indeed, apparently Aphrodite has been taken out as well.”</p><p>“Has she? Who’d dare fight her?”</p><p>“Nobody beat her, she was literally taken out of the arena by the boss - guess Lord Ares got a case of jealousy after Hephaestos fell at her feet…”</p><p>“Guess so, and that’s it from us tonight! Let’s jet, before the lightning bolts make an appearance.”</p><p>%%%</p><p>“Ladies and gents, Nemesis alone here today, while Ananke recovers from our chat with Ares last night about the quality of reporting. I have been instructed to give you the dry facts and no more, and thus I shall: Yesterday, Poseidon defeated Hermes, and was in turn defeated by Artemis. Athena has yet to lose a fight, and nobody has seen Hades since the Games began, but we’re...pretty sure he’s still in there? We think.” </p><p>%%%</p><p>“Viewers, Ananke is back with me, and this is almost the final fight. Will youth, speed and sheer viciousness prevail against wisdom, warfare and weaving? What do you think, Ananke?”</p><p>“I know better than to bet against Athena. I saw what happened to Arachne, you know? Athena, any day.”</p><p>“Yeah, I’ll have to agree with you there, and no doubt Athena will win. Let’s look.”</p><p>Silence reigns, punctuated only by the sounds of an all-out brawl between two goddesses.After some while, and with that part of the arena all but destroyed, Athena stands triumphant.</p><p>“Well. Saw that one coming.”</p><p>“Quite, Nemesis. And now - <i>can</i> we declare Athena is the winner?”</p><p>“Um...Hades is still somewhere out there. Probably. She isn’t the last one standing yet.”</p><p>“Aw, hell - she’s not <i>standing</i> anymore, either, strictly speaking.”</p><p>“Ah, and there’s Hades. Was there a river there, a moment ago?”</p><p>“There was not.”</p><p>“Ah.”</p><p>In the wreck of the arena, the Lord of the Underworld stood a little taller. “The End triumphs.” He noted, his voice paper-dry. </p><p>In the commentators’ booth, there was silence, until Nemesis coughed.</p><p>“Very well. Hades wins the Games. Thank you all for promoting, supporting and cheering for war. You have given Lord Ares a lot of power.”</p><p>“Power, I may venture, that he’s going to find very handy when the Gods show their displeasure with him. And with anybody who helped him.”</p><p>“Which will be soon, I imagine.”</p><p>“Quite soon.”</p><p>“We should run, shouldn’t we?”</p><p>“Fast. We should run <i>fast</i>.”</p><p>And they did.</p><p>
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Downer ending? Possibly. Sorry. Happy third day of Purim, I so hope you enjoyed this. Art was a pinch hit done for me by the ever-wonderful Ishouldbewriting, all credit goes to her.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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